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State gun control advocacy tactics and resources
R C Zakocs1, J A Earp, C W Runyan
1Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA. rzakocs@bu.edu
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|May 2, 2001
Summary
Advocacy groups commonly use public education, media, and lobbying for gun control laws. Financial resources did not significantly influence the choice of advocacy tactics, except for lobbying.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Political Science
- Sociology
Background:
- State laws regulating firearms are a strategy to prevent gun injuries.
- Advocacy organizations employ diverse tactics to promote gun control policies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify common advocacy tactics used by groups supporting state gun control laws.
- To examine the relationship between financial resources and the adoption of these tactics.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 679 organizations active in state-level gun control.
- Analyzed responses from 207 eligible organizations regarding 35 advocacy tactics.
Main Results:
- Public education, media outreach, and legislative lobbying were the most frequent tactics.
- Electioneering and litigation were less common advocacy methods.
- Financial resources were not associated with the use of most advocacy tactics, with lobbying as a notable exception.
Conclusions:
- Organizations advocating for gun control utilize a broad range of strategies.
- The choice of advocacy tactics is not primarily driven by financial resources, with lobbying being a potential exception.